Friday, April 21, 2017

IS YOUR HOLINESS ABOUT YOU OR CHRIST?

I spend much time meditating on questions to help me think more clearly about life. Here are a some to ponder on the topic of holiness. 

-Is being a Christian about you or about God?
-Who maintains your relationship with God: you or Christ?
-Is it good to lower standards of obedience and goodness to some manageable level so as to feel good about yourself or others?
-Did Jesus ever lower standards from perfection?
-Is your holiness about you or about Christ?
-What does it mean that Jesus is your holiness? (1Cor 1:30)
-What makes a person holy?
-If holiness means to be different, then different from what?
Hint: Mormons tell me that holiness is about trying not to sin.
-Is holiness a process? If so, then how do you do it?
-If holiness is a process, then why did Peter command complete holiness now? (1Peter 1:15)
-Is holiness about behavior or about a way of seeing?
-If holiness is a way of seeing, then how does it work and how do you do it?

My view is that holiness is a way of seeing just like love is a way of seeing. In my view I don't have to compromise any scriptures to make them fit with something manageable. Shepherding the heart versus shepherding behavior. As we begin to see what is at the root of the difference we begin to see that it is easy to be "deceived away from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2Cor 11:3) That simplicity is the root of all holiness and love, and so much more.